Dispensing device with follower as discharge assistant



Nov. 25, 1969 HUGO BAUER 3,480,181

DISPENSING DEVICE WITH FOLLOWER AS DISCHARGE ASSISTANT Filed Oct: 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flraevinr Nov. 25, 1969 HUGO BAUER 3,480,181

DISPENSING DEVICE WITH FOLLOWER A'S DISCHARGE ASSISTANT Filed Oct. 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 16 u 4a a 2o 42 m 2: z4 26 22 FA; 3 68 WINK Mural 7M #040 diva? flrraeww United States Patent O- 3,480,181 DISPENSING DEVICE WITH FOLLOWER AS DISCHARGE ASSISTANT Hugo Bauer, 3779 Griffith View Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90039 Filed Oct. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 767,364 Int. Cl. B65h 1/14 US. Cl. 221279 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device is provided for dispensing items such as drapery hooks wherein the items are stacked side-by-side in a housing therefor. A feed plate within the housing abouts one end of the stack and is operatively associated with an elongated track that is displaceable rearwardly and forwardly within the housing so as to move forwardly with the track. Ratchet means are provided allowing rearward movement of the elongated track, but limiting rearward movement of the feed plate. The ratchet means includes ratchet surfaces on the track and on opposed surfaces of the housing. Pawls carried by the feed plate act against the housing ratchet surfaces to limit rearward movement thereof while over-running the track ratchet surfaces during rearward movement of the track. During forward movement of the track, the pawls overrun the housing ratchet surfaces but react against the track ratchet surfaces to move the feed plate forwardly therewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The field of art to which the invention pertains includes the field of article dispensing.

Description of the prior art In the design of dispensing devices, items to be dispensed are often stacked side-by-side within a housing therefor, which housing may enclose the dispensing mechanism or it may enclose only the items to be dispensed in the manner of a cartridge. The use of cartridges for a wide variety of dispensable items has come into vogue because it enables loading of the dispensing mechanism without handling of the individual items. It is generally desired that such cartridges be throw-away. Accordingly, their design is generally simple and inexpensive, the mechanism for ejection or dispensing being included in the device in which the cartridge is inserted. For example, drapery hooks are often sold in cartridges to avoid individual handling of the hooks. The cartridge are inserted into a device that co-operates therewith to individually eject or dispense a single hook at a time and aids are often provided to properly insert the hook into the drapery material. With other devices, individual hooks are loaded without a cartridge, but the device serves to individually position each hook to aid insertion. Such devices, as well as devices utilizing cartridges, are generally expensive to manufacture and are not appropriate for use by the casual user who does not require constant use of a drapery pinning machine. Further, even those machines designed for professional use are not completely satisfactory. They often involve utilization of a spring force to dispense or eject the drapery hook, which force decreases as more hooks are ejected. The exertion of such force on the stack of hooks results in initial hooks being difficult to remove from the device and a general nonuniformity in pressure required to release the drapery hook from the device after insertion.

3,480,181 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a dispensing device which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, yet is easy and safe to operate. The embodiment to be described is a drapery hook dispenser, but the principals are applicable to the dispensing of other items. The device construction is so simple as to allow it to be thrown away after use. It can be loaded at the factory with drapery pins, then sealed and shipped to the ultimate user, who can use it without having to load the pins into a separate applicator. Spring biases that run the length of the applicator are not required; accordingly the devices can be manufactured to accommodate any reasonable number of drapery hooks. As a result of the construction, as will be described herein, each drapery hook is dispensed uniformly and the same light force is required to remove the last hook as is required for the first hook. User fatigue is decreased significantly.

In accordance with this invention, a device is provided for dispensing items, comprising: a housing for accommodating a plurality of the items stacked side-by-side; a first ratchet surface within the housing extending from a fore position to a rear position therein; a feed plate for the items operatively associated with the ratchet surface and limited in rearward movement thereby; and means cooperating with said ratchet surface for incrementally moving said feed plate toward said fore position. The means for incrementally moving the feed plate comprises a second ratchet surface moveable with respect to the first ratchet surface, and means for moving the second ratchet surface rearwardly an increment distance and forwardly an increment distance, the feed plate being operatively associated with the second ratchet surface to move forwardly therewith. The first ratchet surface is formed on an internal surface of the housing and the second ratchet surface is formed on an elongated track'member within the housing. In particular embodiments ratchet surfaces are provided on opposite sides of the housing and on opposite sides of the track member spaced therebetween, all the ratchet surfaces running in the same direction. Pawls carried by the feed plate act against the housing ratchet surfaces to limit rearward movement of the feed plate but over-run the housing ratchet surfaces during forward movement of the feed plate. Other pawls carried by the feed plate over-run the track ratchet surfaces during rearward movement of the track, but act against the track ratchet surfaces during forward movement of" the track to thereby move the feed plate forwardly. The result is a push-pull operation in which the track is incrementally moved forwardly, carrying the feedplate .for- Ward. A'resilient member, such as a leaf .or other spring, is biased by the rearward movement of the track to thereby urge the track forwardly. Since the track rnoves only back and forth incremental distances, the force applied by the resilient member is uniform regardless of the position of the feed plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device incorporating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective, partially sectional view of the operative elements of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1 taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the trigger elements of the device of FIGURE 1 taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1, in the direction of the arrows; i

FIGURE is a cross-sectional view of the trigger elements shown in FIGURE 4 taken along line 5--5 of- 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGURS 1 and 3, a drapery hook dispensing device is shown comprising a hollow elongated housing 12 having a rear wall 14 and a front wall 16. The housing 12 and all parts except the biasing member and drapery hooks are made of injection molded high impact polystyrene. The housing 12 is provided with a plurality of apertures 18 therein to decrease its weight. A plurality of drapery hooks 20 are contained within the housing 12 with a terminal drapery hook 22 abutting the front wall 16 with its pointed end extending downwardly therefrom through a space 24 between the front wall 16 and bottom surface 26 of the housing 12.

A gauge bar 28 is movably secured to the front wall 16 of the housing 12 by means of brackets 30 and 32, extending from the bottom of the front wall 16, and a nib 34 extending from the front of the front wall 16 and protruding through one of several eyelets 36 in the gauge 28. An outer end of the gauge bar 28 facing the pointed end of the drapery hook 22 is formed into an L-shaped guide 38. The gauge bar 28 and guide 38 is utilized, as known to the art, to engage an edge of the drapery material to facilitate insertion of the pointed end of the drapery hook 22 therein. Once the drapery hook 22 is embedded within the drapery material, withdrawal of the device 10 from that position results in automatic removal of the drapery hook 22 from the device 10 to be retained by the drapery. A new drapery hook 22 can then be positioned, ready to be inserted, by the mechanism of this invention as will be described.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 5, the housing 12 defines a cavity 40 having a transverse configuration corresponding to that of a drapery hook 20 of the standard size. A track member 42, having a generally H-shaped crosssection, extends from the housing front wall 16 to a point adjacent the housing rear wall 14. The forward end of the track member 42 is slidably retained by means of a tenon-like extension 46 thereat received within a mortise 48 (FIGURE 1) therefore in the center of the housing front wall 16. The rear end of the track member 42 is provided with an indentation 50 which receives the end of a spring member 52. The outer end of the spring member 52 is retained within a pocket 56 in the housing rear wall 14 (FIGURE 3).

The cross-bar 58 of the track member 42 has elongated ratchet surfaces 60 and 62, one on each of the sides thereofi extending from a fore position near the front housing wall 16 to a rear position near the rear housing wall 14. Both ratchet surfaces 60 and 62 are formed with their teeth points 64 in the direction of the housing front wall 16.

The drapery hooks 20 are stacked on the track member 42 in side-by-side and touching relationship. The stack of drapery hooks 20 is supported within the housing on a pair of wedge shaped projections 63 and 65 from the inner bottom housing surface 26, which projections enable the stack of drapery hooks to be readily moved. A feed plate 66 is provided on the track member 42 having a number of ribs 68 on its front surface abutting the end of the stack of drapery hooks 20. The feed plate 66 is 'also provided with a slot 70 through one edge for passage thereby of the'trigger mechanism as will be described below. It is also provided on its rear surface with four pawls 72, 74, 76 and 78. The two top pawls 72 and 74 are joined to form a V and is connected at the vertex thereof to the top half of the feed plate 66 rear surface. The two bottom pawls 76 and 78 are similarly joined 4 and connected to the bottom half of the feed plate 66 rear surface. The arrangement is such that the two center pawls 74 and 76 embrace the cross-bar 58 of the member 42 and act against the ratchet surfaces 60 and 62 there- Referring specifically to FIGURE 3, elongated ratchet surfaces 80 and 82 are also provided within the housing 12 on top and bottom surfaces 44 and 26 thereof, respectively, and are engaged by the outer pawls 72 and 78 respectively. Both housing ratchet surfaces 80 and 82 face in the same direction as the track member ratchet surfaces 60 and 62. The track member 42 is suspended by means of the front wall mortise 48 and the spring member 52, between the housing ratchet surfaces 80 and 82, and is moveable forwardly and rearwardly an increment distance with respect thereto. The rear wall 14 is cup shaped and is retained on the housing 12 "by means of an annular pawl 54 along its cup rim engaging the housing ratchet surfaces 80 and 82. In assembly, the rear wall 14 is readily attached by forceably sliding it into the housing 12 until the annular pawl 54 thereon engages the ratchet surfaces 80 and 82. Inward movement is limited by the annular flange on the cup portion.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, the housing 12 has an opening 84 formed in one side thereof, the material of the housing 12 defining the opening 84 forming a part of oppositely disposed flanges 86 and 88 at one end of the opening 84. A trigger member 90, in the shape of a bellcrank, is seated within the opening 84 with a pivot pin 85 through the flanges 86 and 88 which constitute a fulcrum about which the trigger 90 oscillates. The trigger member 90 has an actuating tongue member 91 at its fulcrum end which fits within a yoke defined by a pair of oppositely disposed reaction surfaces extending as flanges 93 and 95 from the side of the track member 42. In operation, movement of the trigger member 90 inwardly, as indicated by the arrow 96, causes, by bellcrank action, the track member 42 to move rearwardly, as indicated by the arrow 98.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, the spring member 52 is deformed by the rearward movement of the track member 42 and urges the track member 42 to move forwardly upon release of the trigger member 90. Thus, successive depression and release of the trigger member 90 results in successive rearward and forward incremental movement of the track member 42.

Referring to FIGURES 6a, 6b and 6c, the intermitant movement of the feed plate 66 is illustrated. FIGURE 6a shows the locations of the pawls 72, 74, 76 and 78 just prior to rearward movement of the track member 42. The two outer pawls 72 and 78 are acting against two ratchet teeth 108 and 110 thereat on the upper and lower ratchet surfaces and 82, respectively. The two central pawls 74 and 76 are similarly acting against the ratchet teeth 112 and 114 thereat on the bottom and top track member ratchet surfaces 60 and 62, respectively.

Referring to FIGURE 6b, depression of the trigger member results in rearward movement, as previously indicated, of the track member 42, as indicated by the arrow 116. Rearward movement of the feed plate 66 is limited by the action of the outer pawls 72 and 78 against the top and bottom housing surface ratchet teeth 108 and accordingly, the central pawls 74 and 76 overrun the next succeeding track member ratchet teeth 118 and 120 to allow the track member 42 to move rearwardly.

Referring to FIGURE 6c, at the end of its rearward travel, and upon release of the trigger member 90, the spring 52 bias against the track member 42 urges it in a forward direction. At this juncture, the center pawls 74 and 76' have engaged with the next succeeding track member ratchet teeth 118 and 120. Accordingly, forward movement of the track member 42 carries the feed plate 66 forward, by means of the center pawls 74 and 76; the outer pawls 72 and 78 over-run the next succeeding housing ratchet teeth 122 and 124 to subsequently act thereagainst.

The result of the foregoing movement is that there is no net change in position between the track member 42 and the housing 12, but the feed plate 66 has advanced one ratchet tooth increment along the track member 42 pushing the stack of drapery hooks ahead of it. With each forward movement of the feed plate 66, spring bias is exactly the same. With the trigger member 90 released, there is no bias from the spring member 52 on the track member 42.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, the drapery hook is moved against the inside of the front housing wall 16 over a hooked retaining lip 125 and drops down by gravity along a ramp 126 formed thereat so that the pointed end of the drapery hook 22 extends from the bottom surface of the housing 12.

What is claimed is:

1. A drapery pin dispenser comprising:

a housing for accommodating a plurality of drapery pins stacked side-by-side, said housing having top and bottom walls and defining a forward opening for dispensing a drapery pin therefrom;

a track spaced from said top and bottom walls and displaceable rearwardly and forwardly within said housing, said track having a ratchet surface on at least one side thereof;

a ratchet surface on at least one of said top and bottom walls, and spaced from said track ratchet surface;

a feed plate on said track for abutting one end of said stack of pins and operatively associated with said track ratchet surface so as to move forwardly with said track and operatively associated with said wall ratchet surface so as to be limited thereby in rearward movement; and

a member adjacent said opening and formed to retain said stack of pins against forward movement thereof but displaceable upon rearward movement of said track to allow forward movement of a drapery pin into said opening.

2. The device of claim 1 including a pawl carried by said feed plate acting against said wall and track ratchet surfaces for limiting rearward movement of said feed plate during rearward movement of said track, but overrunning said wall ratchet surface to allow forward movement of said feed plate.

3. The drapery pin dispenser of claim 1 including a resiliently deformable member operatively associated with said track so as to deform upon rearward movement of said track to thereby urge said track forwardly.

4. The device of claim 1 including:

a second wall ratchet surface, said wall ratchet surfaces being formed in the same direction on opposite longitudinal sides of said housing;

an additional ratchet surface on said track on a side thereof opposite said one side, said track ratchet surfaces formed in the same direction and spaced from said wall ratchet surfaces;

first and second pawls carried by said feed plate and acting against said wall ratchet surfaces to limit rearward movement of said feed plate but over-running said wall ratchet surfaces during forward movement of said feed plate; and

third and fourth pawls carried by said feed plate which over-run said track ratchet surfaces during rearward movement of said track but acting against said track ratchet surfaces during forward movement of said track to move said feed plate forwardly therewith.

5. A manually manipulable drapery pin dispenser, comprising:

an elongated housing for accommodating a plurality of said pins stacked side-by-side, said housing having top and bottom walls and defining a forward opening for dispensing a drapery pin therefrom;

an elongated track spaced from said top and bottom walls and extending from said forward opening lengthwise of said housing, said track being displaceable rearwardly and forwardly to reciprocate within said housing;

a feed plate on said track for abutting one end of said stack of pins and operatively associated with said track to move forwardly therewith;

means allowing rearward movement of said elongated track, but limiting rearward movement of said feed plate;

means for moving said track rearwardly; and

a resiliently deformable member operatively associated with said track so as to deform upon rearward movement of said track to thereby urge said track forwardly.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein said housing has an opening in a side thereof, the material of said housing defining said opening forming a pair of oppositely disposed flanges; and a trigger member extending outwardly from said housing, pivotally supported between said flanges and operatively associated with said track to move said track rearwardly when manually pressed inwardly with respect to said housing.

7. The drapery pin dispenser of claim 5 including a member adjacent said opening and formed to retain said stack of pins against forward movement thereof but displaceable upon rearward movement of said track to allow forward movement of a drapery pin into said openmg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,571,436 10/1951 Frank 221279 2,885,110 5/1959 Tregilgas 22l279 X 3.040,929 6/1962 Tapper 22l-297 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner 

